Prevent strokes, in 7 ways

1. Top 3 reasons for having a stroke? High blood pressure, high blood pressure and high blood pressure [1]. Your blood pressure, if normal, can protect you.

Oneperson in every 3 adults has high blood pressure. This can lead to heart diseases, strokes, dementia [42] and kidney diseases. Halfthose who have high blood pressure are not receiving any treatment [33]. Important for your health, so next page is about how to manage your blood pressure better.

[Source: Public Health England, Jan. 2017]

2. Check your personal risk of getting a stroke or heart disease in next 10 years

Want to do it now? Takes just a few minutes, using latest UK research and tool ‘QRisk 3‘ developed by doctors & academics in the UK NHS, based on data from many thousands of doctors/GPs across the country [2017, ref. 16].

2.Improve your lifestyle, with a healthier diet, less alcohol, more exercise, (so lose weight), cut down on caffeine, reduce the salt you eat, and, get a good night’s sleep. “Lifestyle management is the main reason for high blood pressure, and we have to come to grips with it.” [Nov. 2017, 35]

4. Want to know more about preventing yourself having a stroke, what it is like to have a stroke and its problems? Look at Jim Whyte’s video story.

5. See your GP if:

You notice a sudden change in your heartbeat, if your heart rate is often lower than 60 or above 100 beats per minute. Or if you’re experiencing other symptoms of ‘atrial fibrillation’ – see NHS guide, such as dizziness or shortness of breath.

6. Go to hospital after a suspected stroke. The NHS tells you about tests in hospitalto confirm the diagnosis, find the cause, and brain scans to find which part of the brain is affected [42]. Everyone with suspected stroke should receive a brain scan within an hour.